As is known, deploying new optical fiber for optical communications facilities and networks constructed therefrom is quite expensive. Consequently, the art has expended considerable intellectual and financial capital developing and/or deploying technologies that facilitate and/or enhance transmission capacity of existing facilities. Notwithstanding this considerable expenditure, there remains a continuing need for systems, methods, and structures that enhance the transmission capacity and information carrying ability of optical communications networks and such systems, methods, and structures would represent a welcome addition to the art.